Babe by Dick King-Smith
"Babe: The Gallant Pig," written by Dick King-Smith, is a charming children's novel that tells the story of a piglet named Babe who aspires to become a sheepdog. Set on a farm, the narrative unfolds through twelve chapters and is illustrated by Mary Raynor. The story begins when Farmer Hogget wins Babe at a fair but initially intends for him to be Christmas dinner. However, the bond that develops between Babe and Fly, the farmer's sheepdog, leads to a transformation in how both characters perceive pigs and sheep. As Fly teaches Babe to herd sheep, he gains their trust and respect, challenging preconceived notions and fostering understanding among the animals.
The novel features an omniscient narrator and blends straightforward prose with dialect, making it accessible for young readers. Babe's journey is not just about learning to herd; it encapsulates themes of tolerance, dignity, and respect, showcasing how relationships can shift perspectives. Dick King-Smith, drawing from his own farming experiences, weaves a moral tale that resonates with both children and adults. The story has also inspired a successful film adaptation, further solidifying Babe's place in the tradition of literary pigs that symbolize innocence and wisdom.
Babe by Dick King-Smith
First published: 1983; illustrated
Subjects: Animals, friendship, and nature
Type of work: Novel
Type of plot: Fantasy and moral tale
Time of work: Undefined
Recommended Ages: 10-13
Locale: The English countryside
Principal Characters:
Babe , a pig who dreams of becoming the greatest sheep dog in the countryFarmer Hogget , Babe’s taciturn but kind-hearted ownerMrs. Hogget , Farmer Hogget’s loquacious wifeFly , a sheep dog who adopts Babe and teaches him to herd sheepMa , an old sheep who befriends Babe and divulges the secrets of her species
Form and Content
Babe: The Gallant Pig is the tale of a pig who follows an unusual dream and teaches tolerance and understanding to his fellow farm animals along the way. A short novel, arranged in twelve chapters illustrated by Mary Raynor, Babe employs an omniscient, third-person narrator and blends straightforward prose with dialect. The reader soon becomes comfortable with the notion that the animals speak to and understand one another, and this device becomes an integral part of the narrative. A deceptively simple story, Babe can be enjoyed both as a delightful fantasy and as a moral tale.
When Farmer Hogget wins a piglet at the local fair by correctly guessing its weight, he has nothing more in mind for its future than a prominent spot on his Christmas dinner table. When Hogget lodges the pig in the stable with his sheep dog Fly and her puppies, however, Fly’s maternal instincts overcome her prejudice against pigs, and she becomes quite fond of young Babe. Although she has always believed pigs to be stupid, she soon realizes that Babe does not conform to her preconceived notions of his species. After her own pups are sold, Fly turns all of her maternal attentions to the pig and at Babe’s request begins to teach him how to herd sheep.
When Babe uses his newly acquired herding skills to save Farmer Hogget’s sheep from rustlers, Mrs. Hogget vows never to make a meal of him, and Farmer Hogget begins to entertain ideas of training Babe for the Grand Challenge Sheep Dog Trials. Although Babe practices and works hard at his exercise and diet regime, he also owes much of his success to his friendship with Ma, an old sheep with whom he occasionally shares the stable. Although Fly attempts to instill a prejudice against sheep in her young protégé, Babe learns from Ma that sheep are not stupid creatures and that they want only to be treated with dignity and respect by the “wolves,” as they refer to sheep dogs. This understanding, along with hard work, helps Babe develop into the finest “sheep-pig” in the country.
The sheep believe in Babe so completely that they entrust him with their secret password, which assures him a perfect score at the sheep dog trials—a feat never before accomplished by a dog, let alone a pig. As a result of Babe’s influence, Fly changes her opinion of sheep, the sheep learn that the terms “sheep dog” and “wolf” are not synonymous, and Farmer Hogget realizes his dream of winning the Grand Challenge Sheep Dog Trials.
Critical Context
Dick King-Smith’s background as a farmer is evident in his books, which often feature rural settings and animals who possess magical or extraordinary attributes and who have the power to transform the lives of those around them. Babe fits squarely into this body of work, which includes another novel about an extraordinary pig, Ace: The Very Important Pig (1990). Ace, who claims to be a distant relation of the famous sheep-pig Babe, has the amazing ability to understand human language and makes a name for himself as the pig who watches television and enjoys a bowl of beer at the local pub on occasion. King-Smith’s works about extraordinary animals also include Pretty Polly (1993), featuring a chicken whose ability to speak English propels her to worldwide fame; The Invisible Dog (1993), about Henry, an imaginary dog who comes to life; and Harriet’s Hare (1995), revolving around a space alien disguised as a hare who finds a new wife for Harriet’s widowed father.
Ironically, while the pig in literature often symbolizes humanity’s worst traits, it is also used, particularly in children’s literature, to illustrate what is best in people. The pig as a figure of innocence, dignity, and innate wisdom appears frequently in juvenile literature, calling to mind the purity of childhood before it becomes tainted by contact with society. Babe clearly falls within this tradition, along with other great literary pigs, including Piglet in A. A. Milne’s Winnie-the-Pooh (1926) and Wilbur in E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web (1952). Particularly since the 1995 release of the motion picture Babe, based on the novel, Babe: The Gallant Pig should be assured of a place in the pantheon of worthy literary pigs.